Hemorrhagic enteritis associated with Clostridium perfringens type A in a dog

A female Shetland sheep dog died suddenly with hemorrhagic diarrhea and vom itting, and was examined pathologically and microbiologically. Gross pathol ogical change was restricted to the intestinal tract. The intestine contain ed watery, blood-stained fluid. Histopathologically, the principal intestin al lesion was superficial mucosal hemorrhagic necrosis at the jejunoileum. Many Gram-positive bacilli were found adhering to the necrotic mucosal surf ace in parts of the intestinal tract. Clostridium perfringens in pure cultu re were isolated from jejunal contents by anaerobic culture. These results suggested that the typical lesion of this case coincided with canine hemorr hagic enteritis and enterotoxemia due to C. perfringens infection could be the cause of sudden death. perfringens, enterotoxemia, hemorrhagic enteriti s.